The many distractions and crises competing for Washington’s attention have not deterred two members of Congress from their admirable quest for answers regarding the April 17 explosion in West. Sen. Barbara Boxer and Rep. Michael McCaul have maintained steady pressure to ensure that the lessons from West are heeded, not forgotten.

Many politicians, officials and industry lobbyists probably would prefer to let all the commotion die down because the West disaster raises too many uncomfortable questions about Obama administration oversight, and lapses and gaps caused by Republican-led efforts to reduce regulation of hazardous industries.

That’s why it’s particularly significant that Boxer, a California Democrat, and McCaul, an Austin Republican, are refusing to accept obfuscation and evasion from the officials responsible for national security and public safety.

McCaul, the House Homeland Security Committee chairman, wants to know why the West Fertilizer Co., which processed an annual estimate of 2,500 tons of highly explosive ammonium nitrate, wasn’t on the Homeland Security Department’s radar as a potential risk. Ammonium nitrate has been a key ingredient in numerous terrorist attacks, including the 1993 World Trade Center explosion and the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing.

McCaul outlines his concerns in our Point Person interview today on Page 5P. In May, he demanded that DHS explain whether West Fertilizer’s failure to comply with DHS’ Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards might have figured in the explosion. West did not report its large ammonium nitrate holdings even though the anti-terrorism standards required it.

DHS responded: “At this time, there is no indication that the West Fertilizer explosion was a security incident,” and thus the department could not speculate about whether compliance would have mitigated the disaster.

Huh? Federal investigators have specifically said they cannot rule out arson — sabotage — as a factor leading to the explosion. Yet, somehow, Homeland Security sees “no indication” of a security incident? West Fertilizer had minimal security precautions in effect at the time. Its property was unfenced, and repeated break-ins made clear that its facilities were vulnerable. Security lapses are absolutely key to averting similar disasters.

Boxer, chairwoman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, wants to determine whether stalling by the Environmental Protection Agency led to the exclusion of ammonium nitrate from a list of hazardous chemicals that local emergency planning officials should have been alerted to. First responders’ lack of awareness about ammonium nitrate’s hazards almost certainly contributed to West’s high casualty toll.

Boxer also wants Texas and other states to recognize their role in regulatory oversight to make sure that big ammonium nitrate facilities are located away from population centers. We couldn’t agree more with her assessment: “We know what has to be done. … It’s not rocket science here.”

Leading the charge

“People died here. This is not some bureaucratic mistake. … We know what has to be done. Ammonium nitrate has to be stored in a separate facility. It’s not rocket science here.”

Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif.

“The chemical industry is worried. It gives them all a bad name when something like this happens. … The way CFATS [Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards] has been implemented so far has not been received all that well by industry. They always fight the regulatory, you know, burden or scheme on them.”